How many grams in a teaspoon and tablespoon?
A teaspoon holds 5 ml and a tablespoon 15 ml — but how many grams that is depends on what's in the spoon. A tablespoon of honey weighs almost three times as much as a tablespoon of flour. Use the chart below for level spoons of common ingredients.
Grams per teaspoon and tablespoon: chart
| Ingredient | 1 tsp (5 ml) | 1 tbsp (15 ml) |
|---|---|---|
| Water, milk | 5 g | 15 g |
| Granulated sugar | 4 g | 12.5 g |
| Brown sugar, packed | 4.5 g | 14 g |
| Powdered sugar | 2.5 g | 7.5 g |
| All-purpose flour | 3 g | 8 g |
| Table salt | 6 g | 18 g |
| Baking soda | 5 g | 14 g |
| Baking powder | 4 g | 12 g |
| Instant yeast | 3 g | 9 g |
| Butter | 5 g | 14 g |
| Olive oil | 4.5 g | 13.5 g |
| Honey | 7 g | 21 g |
| Peanut butter | 5 g | 16 g |
| Cocoa powder | 2 g | 5–6 g |
| Ground coffee | 2 g | 5–7 g |
| Ground cinnamon | 2.5 g | 8 g |
| Uncooked rice | 4 g | 12 g |
| Rolled oats | 2 g | 5.5 g |
| Creatine monohydrate | 4–5 g | 12–15 g |
| Matcha powder | 2 g | 6 g |
Values are for level spoons. A heaped spoon can hold 1.5–2 times as much.
Why the same spoon weighs differently
A spoon measures volume. Weight depends on density: liquids and fine crystals (honey, salt) pack tightly, while airy powders (flour, cocoa) contain a lot of air. How you fill the spoon matters too — scooping straight from the bag packs flour and adds weight.
Spoon sizes around the world
- Metric teaspoon: 5 ml; metric tablespoon: 15 ml
- US tablespoon: 14.8 ml (practically 15 ml)
- Australian tablespoon: 20 ml
- Cutlery spoons vary widely and are not measuring spoons
Measuring without measuring spoons
No measuring spoons? A photo of the pile on a plate or spoon lets Scale For Grams estimate the grams directly — handy for spices, coffee, protein powder and supplements.
